love – Page 14 – words from wick

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Wick

The bitterness of knowing
His time had come to pass
Sharing a final Passover
He stepped up to the task

By kneeling before each of them
Even his betrayer
To wash their feet as servants do
Even though this seemed unfair

“Not my feet” Peter declared
“But all of me instead.”
Jesus looked at Him with Love
(Though perhaps shook His head.)

As mortar to the bricks of slaves
So my Love fills the gaps
And you will build a Kingdom, freed
To love beyond all maps

The meal started with thankfulness
But turned bitter again
When Jesus said where He was going
They could not come with Him

He would become the spotless lamb
Redeeming every story
And very soon, the Father would
Receive redemptive Glory

Not only new beginnings
But a promised New Creation
As God transformed & flourished in Love
A New and Global Nation

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Wick

Jesus became troubled
And called out his betrayer
Even though it was something
He could’ve sought in silent prayer

A group that watches out
Over the hearts of each other
Not only sharing friendship
But each one was like a brother

Moments of authenticity
Threaten deceptions’ power
For Judas, it set him free to act
Being told this was the hour

Now is the time to stop pretending
To reveal what’s in your heart
The heart of Judas, revealed as hard
By choosing to depart

Vulnerable relationship
Is a Holy place to stay
It’s not a magic pill that makes
All sin go away

But as God’s children covenant
To watch over each other in Love
We’re reminded of God’s own desire
Not to remain “above”.

He came to live among us
To make our world His own
And not only to share time and space
But to humbly take the throne

If Judas and we would stay
And humbly confess our sin
In purposeful relationships
Where such Love can enter in

Imagine the redemption
God can use these moments for
And it can all begin by simply
Not running out the door.

The Greeks who came to worship
Wanted to see Jesus while in town
This confirmed his suspicion
That word had gotten around

The healings that He had performed
The authority when He spoke
The way He invited everyone
Even the unclean folk

He was subversively announcing
Revealing earthly power as undone
Telling everyone, “Repent, and hear
God’s Kingdom has come!”

A seed of New Creation
Which means He has to die
In order to be raised again
His followers wondered why

Which stirred His soul to trouble
He didn’t want to make
Them worry everything would end
Then the Father spoke, for their sake

“I will glorify my name.”
Something big was happening here
Whatever was going to happen next
They didn’t need to fear

It was all part of Gods larger plan
To bring about His Will
That everyone would know His Love
And with it, He would fill

The earth like oceans overflowed
So all would know His glory
It’s more than “Jesus in my heart”
It’s being swallowed by His story.

We don’t just follow His example
And try to live as He
We are born again, children of light
A New Identity.